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From James Lileks:
After music lessons, phonics. We were studying the Short U vowel sound, and she had to circle the relevant pictures. To my dismay she circled a picture of scissors and paper.“Is that a short U sound?” I asked, noncommittally.
“Yes,” she said. “Cut.”
Wow. Add to that something else she announced this morning: “Can I go to Barbie dot com on the internet?”
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Fred Luthans: Psychological Capital: Developing the Human Competitive Edge
Discusses the composite construct of "Psycap" in the business world -- combining hope, self-efficacy, optimism, and resilience. (*****)
Kim S Cameron: Positive Leadership: Strategies for Extraordinary Performance
Great book by a great management author. Distills research in positve psyhology and positive organizational studies into four strategies. Provides provides implementation and leadership development tips. (*****)
Martin E. Seligman: The Optimistic Child: Proven Program to Safeguard Children from Depression & Build Lifelong Resilience
Outstanding. Teachers, parents, and anyone concerned with children can get a lot from this book. Covers some of the same territory as The Resilience Factor, but lots of unique material. Worth your time even if you've read Learned Optimism. (*****)
Karen Reivich: The Resilience Factor: 7 Keys to Finding Your Inner Strength and Overcoming Life's Hurdles
If little things get to you more than they should...
If setbacks get you down and keep you down...
If you'd like to develop more emoitional intelligence...
Read this book.
Based on Martin Seligman's pioneering work in explanatory style and the authors' research, coaching, and counseling experience, this is a step-by-step action plan to more flexible and accurate thinking, more hope, and more of what you want. (*****)
Gary Gordon: Building Engaged Schools: Getting the Most Out of America's Classrooms
Great Book! See my review at Amazon.com. (*****)
Kim S. Cameron, Marc Lavine : Making the Impossible Possible: Leading Extraordinary Performance: The Rocky Flats Story
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Stephen C. Lundin: Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results
Good book. Short and written as a story, but the principles make sense and will work. But, they'll challenge the leadership skills of many managers. (****)
John Tabak: Probability And Statistics: The Science Of Uncertainty (History of Mathematics)
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The Arbinger Institute: Leadership and Self Deception: Getting Out of the Box
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Robert E. Quinn: Building the Bridge As You Walk On It : A Guide for Leading Change
Good. Really good. Really, really good. Buy it. Read it. Think about it. It's worth your time and money. (*****)
Jane E. Dutton: Energize Your Workplace: How to Create and Sustain High-Quality Connections at Work
Several chapters in this book were assigned for my Positive Psychology and Organizational Leadership class this semester, but it was so good, and I was so interested, I read it all. Very readable, but with very useful references to research for those who are interested. Jane Dutton is coming to speak to our class and I'm looking forward to it! (*****)
Barry Schwartz: The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less
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Hey! I finished a book! (Too many articles and chapters in my reading right now to say this very often.)
This work is especially good in dealing with the issues, both real and less real, of scholars. Is stilted language necessary to get published? Who can you trust for honest but caring feedback? Are you going to work in a "get it out the door" or "masterwork" mode? How can these questions impede your ability to get something written, much lesss written well?
Dr. Becker also pays a great deal of attention to good writing, and the book can help here, though, as he notes, it's not a replacement for the classics in this field.
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Steven Johnson: Everything Bad Is Good for You: How Today's Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter
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Joseph Jaworski: Synchronicity: The Inner Path of Leadership
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Howard Gardner: Changing Minds: The Art and Science of Changing Our Own and Other People's Minds
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Currently reading. Book note soon.
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